WHOONESS! Teh update is here! OH, and about those pics I promised, they are not up yet. See, I have to wait until I visit my aunt because the scanner I have doesn't work so you'll have to wait. I will give the specific links when I put em up though, don't worry. Well, here we go.

Chapter Four

A Very In-ter-esting Reunion

Chihiro and Haku walked through the reddish door. Steam hissed from iron machines. Chihiro looked around at the odd machines, both fascinated and freaked out. She heard the sound of scraping metal and gruff grunts. Haku led her into a large, spacious room. It was very warm and drawers made up a wall that towered to the ceiling.

Looking down, Chihiro was shocked to see lumps of...coal moving. She saw itty bitty black wisps coming up around the sides of the coal. They walked towards a tiny cliff where a furnace opened and closed. The coal was thrown in and little black, fuzzy looking critters with large eyes ran away from it to retrieve more coal.

"Kamaji!" Haku called. It was then, Chihiro noticed an old man with a huge mustache pushing a wooden wheel with one hand and crushing herds with a metal wheel with...two other hands? He had three arms? A forth arm came out and took a tea kettle. The man raised it to his mouth and drank from it. He looked over at Haku and Chihiro.

"Well, hello Haku. It has been a while. Hm?" Kamaji stopped what he was doing and stared at Chihiro. She gasped slightly and took a step back. Kamaji chuckled slightly. "So, you have brought a human? Strange...you befriended a human five years ago. That sweet little Sen girl."

"Her real name was Chihiro." Kamaji nodded and went back to crushing herbs. The little black critters continued to work. However, one without coal bounced over to Chihiro. It made happy little squeaks, as though being reunited with an old fried. Kamaji looked over.

"Strange, that little soot ball seems to know you, girl." Chihiro blinked down at the little thing. It was made of soot?

"Kamaji, don't you recognize her? This is Chihiro." Kamaji, who had just picked up dome more herbs, dropped them as well as his jaw. He jumped off the thing he worked on and crawled over with his spider-like arms. He looked closely at Chihiro's face.

"Can it be...Sen...no, Chihiro? You've returned?" he gasped. A little door opened. A young woman in a peach outfit with a blue apron walked in. She carried a tray with a bowl and a basket on her left hand.

"Chow time!" she called. The lady looked a little like th slugs but her face was not a long and chubby. In fact, she was pretty skinny. Her hair was much healthier looking and it was dark brown in a loose ponytail. Her eyes were brown too and she looked like she was about twenty-five years old.

"Lin!" Kamaji cried, running (Or crawling quickly in his case) over to her. "You will not believe who is here." Lin blinked and stared at him.

"Haku? No Face?" she offered. Kamaji bounced excitedly.

"Haku and Chihiro." Lin tilted her head. "Sen!" Kamaji cried. Lin's eyes widened. She looked around Kamaji at Chihiro and Haku.

"That's Sen? She's changed." Lin walked over and studied Chihiro's face closely. "Wow Sen, you sure look different. Of course, what more do I expect after five years." Chihiro blinked, confused as heck.

"Lin, Kamaji, Sen...well, her real name is Chihiro. Anyway, she doesn't remember her last visit to the Spirit World." Lin and Kamaji exchanged glances. "Perhaps, a re-introduction is in order?"

"Alright, Chihiro, my name is Lin. I'm a slug who works here at the bathhouse. I normally clean and sometimes deliver food. Last time you were here, you were my assistant. I took you to Yubaba after Kamaji paid me with a roasted newt. Mmm...that newt sure did taste delicious." Chihiro grimaced at the word "newt." Lin noticed this. "Hey, roasted newt is delicacy to people like me here. Don't knock it until you try it."

"I prefer to knock it, thanks." Haku chuckled slightly. Kamaji bowed to Chihiro.

"I am Kamaji, the boiler man. My job is to create herbal water for the baths and heat the water. You came here to get a job but I turned you down. However, when Lin came and threatened to turn you in, I convinced her to take you to Yubaba where you got a job. You came here when you needed your clothes and shoes from the human world. When Haku was badly injured from Zeneba, Yubaba's twin sister, you two fell down here and I took care of him while you went to Zeneba to try and save him. I gave you the train tickets."

"So...you two were my best friends or something?" Chihiro asked.

"Haku was more like your best friend. He helped you ever since you were trapped in this world. But enough, you must get a job here once again." Lin shook her head.

"She can't get the same job. Yubaba refuses to have more servants. She has enough cooks as well. I'm not sure if Chihiro can even get a job anymore." kamaji scratched his chin.

"This could be a problem..." he muttered to himself thoughtfully. Haku sighed slightly. Lin snapped her fingers.

"Wait, perhaps she can be a greeter or performer. Can you dance or sing?" she asked. Chihiro nodded. "Perfect! I'll take you to see Yubaba. Here is your lunch Kamaji.' Lin handed Kamaji the bowl of shrimp and rice then threw star flakes to the soot. "Quickly Chihiro, follow me. And leave your shoes, socks, and other clothes behind." Chihiro reluctantly left her clothes and towel from the human world and the sandals Haku had given her behind and followed Lin through the door.

Kamaji looked over to Haku. He chuckled slightly as he crawled to his work area, taking a bite of a shrimp. Haku looked at him curiously.

"You're still in love with her, aren't you?" Kamaji asked, amused. Haku blushed and nodded. "It is only to be expected. If my guess is correct, Haku, she will in time regain her feelings."

"That it what I'm afraid of. If she is to return back home, she cannot regain her emotions towards me. I need to avoid Chihiro. You and lin can guide her, can't you?" he asked. Kamaji shook his head.

"Lin and I both work. You are the only trustworthy who can lead Chihiro back home. Although...I get a feeling it will end differently." Haku sighed and left without a word. Kamaji chuckled slightly. "Foolish Haku, you don't even realize that necklace you gave to Chihiro five years ago is the key to either returning home or staying here. If my guess is correct, her heart will chose the true home to her." Kamaji sighed slightly, shaking his head in amusement.

And so ends yet another chapter. The origin of the gold and diamond necklace is starting to be revealed. It is actually very important, hence why I put it in there. Well, I plan to update tomorrow, hopefully. If not tomorrow then on Monday. NO SCHOOL MONDAY! YEAH!